A stage very much unlike the 4 that came before it. One for the puncheurs and absolutely full of hills with 5 Cat 1s, 5 Cat 2s and 1 Cat 3 KOM. The KOM will almost certainly be decided today. Many of the top Puncheurs have lost big time already but this will be an opportunity for a stage win and maybe even a chance to rocket up the GC. Those at the top of the GC at the moment will find it tough to keep with the pace so we could well be looking at a new GC leader.
Nolf is the current KOM leader and he's started today off right as he wins the first KOM sprint ahead of Prevar.
We have a breakaway of 12 today and they have a 3'15 lead as they climb up the Schoos.
HIL
Krigbaum
70
Knox
70
Gaudu
78
Prevar
80
Marcos (+ 5'27)
73
Bolor-Erdene
66
Nolf (KOM Leader)
64
Le Gac
77
McCarthy
81
Sibilla
62
Khederi
76
Ulloa
69
Krigbaum wins the 2nd KOM.
Marcos wins the next KOM with 115km to go and the gap to the Peloton is 4'32.
Knox goes early and is first through the next KOM. Nolf still with a 30 point lead.
Still more than 80km remaining as the Peloton is becoming very stretched out which indicates potential gaps later in the stage as smaller groups are already falling off the back.
Carthy is first through the next KOM. The gap still 28 points for Nolf.
56km to go and the gap is 2'23. The Peloton is down to only 24 riders! The main rider having been dropped is Trentin who is a few groups behind.
Gaudu wins the next KOM and he is joined only be McCarthy and Prevar.
Gaudu wins the KOM again with still 43km to go. He is 18 points off the KOM lead.
The Peloton is down to 21 riders now as Anderberg is dropped. They are 3'45 behind the leading trio.
Over the Cat 1 Kehmen and Gaudu wins it again and moves to only 2 points off the KOM leader.
Betancourt attacks from the Peloton! Pomoshnikov follows him.
22km to the line as Gaudu summits the Boursheid and moves into the KOM lead by 14 points. McCarthy moves to 2nd equal.
15km to go for Gaudu and he has a 48 second lead over the trio of Prevar, McCarthy and Pomoshnikov. Looking good for a stage win for one of these 4.
Some action in the "Peloton" with 12km to go as Riesebeek (3rd @ + 17") attacks which sees an instant reaction from Senni (5th @ +18") and Barthe (10th @ + 37"). GC Leader Van der Haar and Dulanjana (4th @ + 17") are the only others in the Top 10 who are in this Peloton.
A 20 point KOM lead now for Gaudu but his focus is on the stage win. With 8km to go and still 1 climb he only has a gap of 24 seconds.
Further back and Van der Haar has been dropped as a result of these earlier attacks so we are very likely to see a new GC leader today!
6km to go and Gaudu has been caught by the trio behind him.
Pomoshnikov wins the final KOM sprint of the day with 4km to the finish. Gaudu will need to try keep with him as these 2 look likely to hold off the 2 behind them for the stage win.
But the Russian is too strong as he flies away from the Frenchman and, barring disaster, should be well set for a stage win here with only 2.5km to go.
Gaudu is actually caught by the trio of Barthe, Riesebeek and Senni.
And indeed it is a stage win for Pomoshnikov!
Gaudu has enough in the tank to take 2nd ahead of Barthe and Senni.
Riesebeek comes through in 5th, just behind these 3.
Prevar is 6th.
McCarthy is 7th.
Betancourt leads through the next quartet.
GC Leader Van der Haar is almost 6 minutes behind the stage winner and will lose his GC lead today.
Senni is the new GC leader and should win bar any disaster tomorrow. Barthe is 2nd @ + 11" while Riesebeek is + 14". It's then more than 3 minutes to Dulanjana in 4th.
Trentin remains in the Points lead. Gaudu will win the KOM with no points available tomorrow. McCarthy is outright 2nd. Barthe in a 6 minute lead in the U25s. Bralirwa - Stevens lead the Teams.
Benelux Challenge - Stage 5 Report 
